White Lotus High
by zuko4ever1477
Summary: Together, they've mastered the four elements, won back the throne for the rightful Fire Lord, and saved the world. Now only one great challenge remains: high school.
1. Chapter 1

"You want me to WHAT?!"

Zuko's outburst echoed through the strangely empty palace accompanied by the gentle rumble of his uncle's laughter.

"Do not worry about the Fire Nation, Zuko. An old friend of mine will take care of things while you are away." Iroh did his best to reassure his shocked nephew.

"But Uncle, you can't expect me to learn all those stupid, useless facts with some stuffy Fire Nation nobles! That would be-"

"You won't be going in the Fire Nation. I'm sending you to a place where the nations can learn together." Zuko continued to fume, made all the more angry by Iroh's placating words.

"I don't need it! I've made it this far without that kind of stuff, why should I bother to learn it now?" He narrowed his eyes and glared at his uncle in a way that would have made a dragon flinch. But the Dragon of the West was no ordinary dragon.

"Zuko, you need some proper schooling. I taught you everything I could during our travels together, but nothing can substitute a true education."

_Travels... _It was just like the old general to gloss over his three years of banishment, that time of pain and confusion that felt so much longer than the rest of his life had been. But he had made the choice Iroh wanted him to make- the choice he had wanted himself to make. Now the world was no longer plagued by the Phoenix King or his bellicose daughter. Now Zuko was Fire Lord.

And now, he had to go to high school.

--

"I won't do it! I won't know anyone! And I should be here, with you, rebuilding the South Pole! Not prancing around at some stupid school!" Hakoda had never seen this kind of rage come from his gentle daughter before. Not for the first time, he wished Kya was around to help him comprehend the thought process of teenaged girls.

He decided that this battle could only be won with superb military tactics, and resolved to calmly counter her arguments. "That's not true. Sokka's already agreed, Aang is going, and Toph's parents have decided that's what's best for her as well- even that Kyoshi warrior friend of yours is coming. Master Pakku and his students have already arrived, so we won't need any more help in that respect. And besides, a good education will allow you to help your Tribe on a much greater scale one day."

Katara's anger subsided slightly. She didn't want to admit it, but she was almost afraid to leave her dad again. The war had torn their family too much, and she'd assumed that everything would be normal again at its end. It stung a little to hear that she wasn't needed for the reconstruction of the Tribe, but she could find no real fault in her father's arguments except one. "What about Zuko?"

"His uncle is doing his best to persuade him, but there are no guarantees. Even if he doesn't come, it shouldn't be a real loss. I thought you hated him anyway." The last sentence was more of a question than a statement, and Katara turned away from her father's inquisitive gaze so he wouldn't see the pink rising in her cheeks.

"I.. uh... guess you're right." Now she was trapped. The choice was between years of fire and brimstone at high school or admitting that her feelings for Zuko might have changed a little in those last few weeks before their victory.

"Okay. I'm in."

--

Toph hurtled wildly around the corner and out into the maze of gardens, furious at being manipulated this way. She'd come back to her parents willingly, hoping the whole saving the world thing was enough to convince them she wasn't a delicate little flower anymore. Or ever.

And now she was leaving again. Not because they hadn't accepted her. Not because she'd chosen to run away. No, this was something totally different.

_The Blind Bandit was going to high school._

She ran on without even bothering to sense the vibrations. Although this necessary bending was instinctive by now, Toph wanted to retreat. She needed some time in the dark to sort things out on her own.

A shrill cry pierced her world of night. She'd know that sound anywhere. _Hawky!_

The weight of the messenger hawk on her shoulder was a comfort, bringing with it the crisp feel of the South Pole wind that reminded her of Sokka. She remembered the one time she'd been there to visit, just a few days after the war had ended. Out on the ice, Toph had felt completely blind, totally vulnerable. The young Water Tribe warrior's steady grip had been her only guidance, but it had been plenty. She hoped privately that he'd seen through her sarcastic remarks and affectionate jabs, understood how grateful she was.

With fingers made clumsy by eagerness, Toph removed the scroll, a crinkled mess that had been tied off with a sloppy bow, and rubbed her fingers along it. Sokka, true to his claims of boundless ingenuity, as well as a boundless supply of hot air, had created a system so that Toph could read his letters. He would spill globs of ink onto the paper, then allow them to dry. Different patterns of bumps meant different characters. It had taken a while to learn the system, but Toph had been determined to do so. She hated relying on anyone, especially for something so simple as reading a note.

_Toph-_

_Katara and I have been banished to White Lotus High for a "proper education". Now I know how Zuko felt. I wonder if he's been dragged into this mess too._

_It's been a while, hasn't it? I can't believe the war ended two months ago- feels like Aang topped the Loser Lord yesterday! Speaking of that oh-so-epic battle, you'll never guess what happened! Aang went back to the site of the battle to check on the ecosystem or some vegetarian mumbo jumbo like that, and he found my boomerang! I'm really glad to have it back._

_We should really get together sometime before Katara and I get shipped off. _

_See you soon,_

_Sokka_

Toph grinned in a way that would have made a boulder balk. This whole school thing was about to get a _lot_ more interesting.

**and there's the first chapter! this one's going to feature almost every character, and i may even resurrect jet for the occasion. only time will tell though. R&R please!**


	2. Chapter 2

Katara wandered the school's mess hall haphazardly, hoping to find a friend or two among the mostly unfamiliar teens. The only person she'd seen so far was her brother, who had disappeared into the sea of faces in search of a certain Kyoshi Warrior.

He headed toward her now, looking slightly flushed but happy. "I found Suki," he informed her. "I _think_ I saw Haru in the crowd too, but I'm not positive. And we already know Toph and Aang are coming... Looks like things won't be as bad as we thought."

Katara knew better than that. If _he_ wasn't here, than things would be just as rotten as she'd first anticipated.

"Attention students! Please take a seat! Until we sort you all out into your mixed groups, we'd like you to sit with your own nation! The Avatar can sit where he likes. Thank you!" An announcer was calling out to them from a raised platform, giving directions and answering questions while he waited for the students to settle into their respective places.

Finally, everyone was seated under their nation's banner. Aang had, predictably, come to the Water Tribe table, and was now chatting away while Katara pretended to listen, nodding in all the right places and making eager noises wherever necessary.

"Settle down now, kids! We know that a lot of you have never been to high school before, but this is White Lotus High's first year as a school too, so you shouldn't worry about a thing!" He beamed at the crowd and Katara couldn't help rolling her eyes at his talking-to-toddlers attitude.

"Now, we've got a different system here than you may be used to if you _have_ been to high school before, so we're going to explain that now. Everyone will be in the same classes, no matter what age. Since a lot of you haven't been properly educated before now and there would be way too few kids in the years after freshman since so many would have to be held back, we've just decided to clump you all together. To make up for that, we're going to break you into four... teams, of sorts. You'll only have classes with members of your own team, and you'll share a dorm with them as well. Seems like that's about all you need to know, so I'll move on to extra info." He paused again to throw a huge grin out at his audience.

"Breakfast at eight every morning, lunch at noon and dinner at six. You'll have an hour for each meal and free time from seven on. Those of you who want to take any AP classes can sign up to be tested over at the table to your right, apply for regular classes to the left, and when you're finished there you can come up to me to find out what team you'll be on. We hope you have lots of fun this year!" He finished with a smile that looked like it hurt, then left the platform to leave the teens to talk and choose their classes for the semester.

"What's Perky's problem?" Sokka couldn't help grinning. He'd know that obnoxious voice anywhere!

"Toph!"

"The one and only, Snoozles."

"I still can't believe you came too! I mean, Katara and I thought we'd be stuck in this hole on our own!"

"Yeah, I think all the old people are conspiring against us." Toph shot him a devious grin and his got even wider. The Earthbender always knew when _he_ was smiling. "Careful there, Captain Boomerang. You're starting to look like our peppy little tourguide."

"Please forgive me for showing happiness in a way that doesn't involve punching people. Speaking of boomerangs, though, do you want to see..."

The voices trailed off as Katara left her brother to his own devices and headed towards the Fire Nation table. She scanned the crowd. No Zuko.

With a sigh, she turned and headed towards the AP table. She wanted to sign up for advanced bending. She had just reached the table when-

"Hey, watch it!" she shouted to a boy who was busy signing his name on the AP bending application scroll. He'd practically collided with her!

She glanced up at him, annoyed, as she waited for him to finish signing his name on the list. Wait... that black hair... that pale skin... those intent amber eyes...

The boy looked at her and his longish hair fell away from where it had been covering the left side of his face. "Zuko! You're here!"

He grinned ruefully at her. "Unfortunately."

--

"Come on, Snoozles, I've already signed up for AP bending. Unless you've got something you want to do, I think we should head over and find out what our teams are."

"Good idea. But could you please not call me Snoozles in public? _Suki_ is here!"

Sokka felt a sharp jab at his arm and bit his lip hard to keep from squealing girlishly. "Whatever you say, Snoozles."

--

"It's so great to see you!" Katara's relief and excitement was threatening to spill over, so she did her best to feign nonchalance. "So... what kind of classes are you taking?"

"I'm doing AP bending, AP weaponry, math, history, government, music, philosophy..." He trailed off, then looked like he was steeling himself for something difficult and spat out, "plus calligraphy and cooking. But-"

Katara giggled, cutting him off. "That's a lot of classes for one boy. And _calligraphy_? Oh Zuko, you really _are_ a nerd at heart!" She threw her arms around him and laughed again, struggling vainly to make the hug as sisterly as possible. To her surprise he didn't seem to mind too much.

"What I was _going_ to say before you so rudely cut me off, little miss water peasant," he went on with mock annoyance, "was that the last two weren't my idea. Uncle says cooking involves tea, and insists that I get better at making tea because it's 'a family tradition', and Mai wanted me to learn calligraphy because she said if I ever break up with her using a letter again, I need to at least make it look nice." He said the entire explanation in one quick breath, and his pained expression at its end made Katara laugh even more. _I really need to stop doing that, _she thought. _It's a dead giveaway. _

Then her breath caught. "Mai?" she asked tightly. "Is _she_ here too?"

--

"Hey, Sokka!" Aang nudged the older boy urgently, cutting into his conversation with Toph. "Have you seen Katara?"

Sokka turned to look at the Airbender in annoyance, then said shortly, "As a matter of fact, I have not. Why don't you go look for her?" The suggestion was a hopeful one, and Aang got the message that he wasn't wanted at the moment. Sokka hadn't seen Suki since they'd arrived, and was clearly cranky because of it.

He disappeared into the crowd to search for his lost lover.

--

"Oh, yeah." Zuko said breezily. "She insisted she wouldn't let me disappear on my own again." He chuckled a little as if he found this amusing, then moved quickly to another topic. "So, what kind of classes are you taking?"

"AP bending, AP writing, government, music, math, history, philosophy and cooking. Almost the same as you."

"Cool." His grin made her heart do somersaults. "Then I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"_If_ we're on the same team," she forced herself to remind him.

"Well then," he replied, unphased, "why don't we go find out?"

--

"Oh, good, you're back." Sokka said as soon as Katara came into view. Zuko followed. "And look! Mr. Jerkbender showed up too!"

"Nice to see you too, Sokka." Zuko's voice dripped sarcasm.

"We've seen just about everybody. Suki, Teo, and Aang are all on Team Yangchen. Ty Lee, Haru and Mai are part of Team Kuruk. Toph and I made Team Roku, and Team Kyoshi has Longshot and Smellerbee. That's everyone we know of so far."

Katara had to admit, she was impressed that her brother had been able to track down all of those people in the time it took to talk to Zuko and sign up for some classes. But then again, he probably hadn't signed up for too many.

Aang ran towards them like his life depended on it. He stopped a few feet away, panting, and managed a few words. "_Meng's_ here!"

She smiled. Meng had been Aunt Wu's assistant back in the fortuneteller's village. More importantly, she'd had a major crush on Aang. And if she could provide some distraction... well, the year had just gotten a lot more interesting...

"Wait, who's-" Toph and Zuko started at the same time, then the Firebender sighed and she went on instead. "Never mind- I'll find out if it's important."

"What team is she on?" Sokka asked, clearly interested. Katara wasn't sure if he'd ever figured out that Meng wasn't his mystery crush.

"Kyoshi, thank the spirits," Aang replied.

"Wait, but _you're_ on- ahhh...." Sokka gave the Airbender his best knowing look, leaving them all to wonder if he knew anything at all.

"Come on, Katara. Let's go find out what team we're on." Zuko led her away, and Katara did her best to ignore the butterflies in her stomach and the glare at her back. Aang would be watching them the whole way...

--

"Name and parents please."

"Zuko, son of Ursa and... Ozai." He hated mentioning his father. He was nothing like his father. Not at all. He hoped that someday people might see his uncle in him- he wished he could be so wise and supportive. _Maybe one day..._

"Let me look you up. Just a sec!" He flashed a huge grin again, interrupting Zuko's thoughts.

"You're on Team Roku, buddy! Your roommate is Sokka of the Water Tribe! Make sure you have lots of fu-"

"Did you just call me _buddy_?"

"Zuko sounds too gloomy, buddy. You need to lighten up! Have fun! Get a girlfriend! You're in high school!" Another sickening smile.

"Fine. You know my name, I get to know yours."

"I'm Doo Jee, buddy."

"What are you, Joo Dee's cousin or something?" Zuko understood now why all this exaggerated beaming looked so familiar.

"Hey, hurry it up up there!" an angry high schooler was yelling from near the back. Zuko quickly stepped out of line with an I'm-not-finished-with-you glare at DJ.

He just smiled.

--

"Name and parents, sweetheart."

"Did you just-"

"Name and parents, please."

"Katara, Kya and Hakoda."

"Just lemme peek at the list for you, sweetie."

"Would you stop-"

"You're on Team..." he paused, scanning the list, and Katara felt her heart thumping even louder. Would she be part of Team Roku? Or would she have to survive Team Yangchen with Aang?

"Roku!" She breathed a sigh of relief and DJ went on with a smile that, for once, she shared. "Your roommate is Toph of the Earth Kingdom! Make sure to have lots of fun, love!" Her smile slunk away to a corner and died.

Toph? _Toph?! _As in the sloppy tomboy prankster Toph?

Katara sighed as she stepped out of line. The road to graduation had just gotten a _lot_ longer.

**and that's all for now! i've pretty much banished all the people who interfere with my chosen ships to other teams lol, we'll see how that works out. we'll see how many side characters (as in one-time guests like meng) wind up showing their faces- and how many you can remember! some can be pretty annoying *coughMENGcough*, but really, who doesn't love teo?**


	3. Chapter 3

Zuko looked dismally at his reflection. These uniforms were so _stupid_! They were simple enough, with the look of standard Fire Nation ones, but the kids attending White Lotus High were hardly elementary school students. The entire uniform was black with the exception of the lining, sash and headband (another tacky touch, marked with the symbol of the Order of the White Lotus), which were the color of the student's nation.

Decked out in red and black, longish dark hair dispersed by a dumb- as well as sickeningly _bright_- headband, and expression even more gloomy than usual, Zuko definitely wasn't at his best. He wondered absently if Mai felt like this all the time.

He left Sokka to his own black and blue fate and headed out the door. The Team Roku dormitory was fairly simple. There was one two story building for the boys, one for the girls, and another red roof-tiled pavilion in the middle where they could meet and socialize. This dorm was to the west of the main campus, with the others stationed at the remaining three points of the compass- Kuruk in the north, Yangchen to the south and Team Kyoshi's home in the east. Zuko could see enough in the moonlight to find the pale yellowed tiles of the Yangchen roof and the blue of Kuruk's to either side, but the green Kyoshi rooftops were obscured by the stark white buildings in between.

With nothing better to do, he headed towards the meeting pavilion and braced himself for the four long years to come.

--

Katara tugged angrily at her simple white tunic, practically begging it to look fashionable, or at least marginally cuter than it did now. It flatly ignored her pleas. "Ugh! These stupid uniforms!"

"Cool it, Sugar Queen. No one cares what it looks like. Besides, aren't we all wearing the same thing anyway?"

Toph's calm acceptance of her uniformed fate made Katara reconsider. The girls' clothes were all white, with the exception of the sash, lining and headband, and their tunics were slightly longer than the boys', almost like a skirt.

Deciding her hair loopies had no place in this unforgiving teenaged world, the Waterbender undid them and allowed her gently curled locks to flow freely. Then she put it all up into a high ponytail, using the headband to bind it, and tied the sky-blue sash around her waist.

She continued to twist and turn to examine herself from all angles until Toph cut in again. "Would you quit pacing around already?! You're killing me, Sugar Queen!"

"Sorry, I'm just making sure everything is... neat."

_You mean 'everything is perfect for Sparky', _Toph thought. It took all her willpower not to snicker.

"Shoot! One more adjustment." Toph heard the rustle of fabric and the swish of Katara's hair, which had gotten a good deal longer since the final battle. Then more of that infuriating pacing. "Okay, that's perfect." Realizing she was annoying the master Earthbender, she hastened to add, "I'm... just... gonna go now," and disappeared from the room, leaving Toph to wonder just when she had gotten so picky.

--

She arrived in the main Roku pavilion to find herself alone except for one other person- a boy, lounging by the fire and manipulating it with lazy hand motions.

"Zuko!"

He jumped up immediately at the sound of his name, then relaxed slightly, grinning broadly. "Katara!"

Her heart skipped a beat. His eyes caught the firelight in the most amazing way, his easy grin lighting up the room much more thoroughly than the blaze itself. Underneath the black uniform, muscles flexed powerfully as he leapt to his feet, the red piping bringing her glance over his strong form before the headband drew her eyes up to that gorgeous amber gaze again. "Wow..." she breathed.

He fidgeted under her stare. "Yeah, I know, it's pretty tacky. They should really work on their uniforms, huh? Although yours is... nice..." He trailed off as his eyes met hers for the first time.

The simple white tunic brought out Katara's darker skin, shining now in the moonlight. The blue of the sash matched those beautiful eyes, not to mention the way the entire uniform fit her feminine form...

"Oh... thanks. Yours is... great..."

Both shook themselves fiercely, recovering from the stupor. _It's just Katara... The same Katara I traveled with a few months ago... _he told himself sternly, but couldn't help adding, _The same Katara I was imprisoned with below Ba Sing Se..._

_Just Zuko... Just a crush... This is like with Jet, Katara. You're getting ahead of yourself, _she reprimanded herself internally, but couldn't resist finishing with, _There's no harm in being friends with your teammates..._

_Friends. Right._

--

Aang finished putting on his uniform. Although he could have gone with the white of the Air Nomads, he didn't want the fame and the pressure of being the Avatar. He would just be a regular kid. It had taken these past two months to pull it off, but he'd even grown out his hair again for the occasion. Since it was the element he had the least experience with, Aang had decided to play the role of Firebender here. He stepped out of the boys' dorm and began the walk towards the pavilion. He would fit in perfe-

"Kuzon? Kuzon, is that you?!"

Aang stiffened. He knew that voice. _On Ji was here!_

--

"So... been a long day, huh?" he ventured.

"Yeah... really long day..." Katara made a note-to-self to teach Zuko some social skills.

"So... tomorrow's AP testing, right?"

"...Right..."

"So... do you want to... practice? Together? For the AP bending test, I mean. You know, just... sparring and stuff... A few hours from now, maybe..."

Was he asking her on a date?! They both already had someone else! But then... how could Aang and Mai ever find out about this? They were on the same team... this was normal... It certainly wasn't the most romantic invitation... It was up for debate... "I'd love to, Zuko. Meet here at eight?" She couldn't stop smiling at him.

"Oh... yeah... eight. Got it." He grinned and the innocent uncertainty in his eyes made her giggle. He might be older than Aang, but it was clear that he'd never been in love before. Mai was someone the Fire Nation expected of him. But this?

This was a good old fashioned high school romance.

--

"Kuzon, it's so great to see you!" He had turned to face her now, and was fidgeting, hand on the back of his head and elbow cocked. "And you've grown your hair longer! It still looks good with the headband, though," she added with a smile.

"It's nice to see you too, On Ji!" He inched away, looking for an opening. If he could just slip away from her, he'd be able to visit Katara at the Team Roku meeting pavilion...

"My parents made plans to transfer me here after the war ended, and now it's finally open, so here I am! Hide didn't come though. I'm kind of glad about that," she added in a whisper.

"Yeah, me too." He hadn't heard any part of the explanation but the last three words. It seemed to be enough.

"I've been practicing my dance moves, Kuzon." He had to give her credit, she'd been holding her own in this awkward conversation for a while now.

Aang braced himself. He knew what he would have to do to get her off his back, and he would do it. For Katara. "How about me and you try them out some time?" He made his best effort at a sly smile, and it was clearly just perfect for On Ji.

"That'd be... nice." Her attempt at playing it cool was ruined by the excited tension in her voice, but he pretended not to notice.

"See you around, On Ji." He sprinted away without looking back, leaving the girl to contemplate how he moved so quickly.

--

Zuko flopped down onto the bed and sighed contentedly. He'd just realized how nice the pattern on the ceiling was... Come to think of it, he liked the one on the wall, too... And then there was-

"Zuko? Zuko! EARTH TO JERKBENDER!!!"

He snapped back into sitting position as his old annoyed self. "What?"

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Sokka asked, skeptical.

"Do I _look_ like I'm in a good mood to you?" he scowled back.

"I _mean_ before I brought you back to planet Earth. Anyone would think you were mooning over some girl! But of course, that's not a Zuko thing to do. You're too grouchy and angry and..."

Like the rest of the group, Zuko had long since perfected the art of tuning Sokka out. He turned away so the red rising in his pale face wouldn't be so obvious to his roommate. "Yeah... not a Zuko thing to do..."

"Oh spirits, who is she?!" Sokka's explosion brought him back into focus.

"No one! I'm not in love with anyone! And-"

A knock on the door interrupted Zuko's rant. "Hi... uh... this is Shoji... I don't think I know you... This Waterbender outside told me to come here and make sure some guy named Zuko was ready for tonight... Umm... bye..." Without having even opened the rice paper door, the boy's silhouette disappeared from view.

"Well, she's paranoid." Zuko mused. What did she think, he was going to run away?

"If you lay one finger on my sister..." Sokka growled.

"Why do you automatically assume I'm going to do something unspeakably horrible to her?! We're just-"

"Just _what_, Zuko?"

"Sparring," he finished lamely, now realizing how much that seemed like a pathetic excuse.

"If my sister is hurt at _all_, in _any_ way..." he let the threat hang unfinished in the stillness.

"You mean you're not going to kill me now and just get it over with?" Zuko was actually surprised. Sokka had never let any boy besides Aang to get close to his sister since the Jet incident, a story he'd heard only fragments of.

"Eh, she can have her pick of psycho boys. You're part of the gang now, right? That means I kind of have to trust you."

Zuko wasn't sure whether to be offended or grateful. He left the room.

--

"You're here!" Katara threw her arms around him.

He backed away slightly. "Well I just barely escaped your brother alive. If you value our health, you should probably minimize contact."

"Right... Sorry..." Katara's blush was visible even in the dark.

"Why don't we just get started?" he suggested, and they did.

--

Mai wanted to puke. Looking ridiculous in white and red, with sleeves to fitting to hide her knives, she felt completely out of place. And _way_ too bright.

She sighed and acknowledged the fact that the only thing that made it worthwhile was her boyfriend. And she wasn't even sure if he deserved this kind of sacrifice on her part.

Leaving Ty Lee to amuse herself, Mai left the team's dorm behind her and went to find Zuko.

--

"You know, my uncle created his own Firebending technique by studying Waterbending," Zuko informed her as the advantage danced back and forth.

"That's really cool. I'd like to make a Waterbending move from Firebending sometime."

"Here," he stopped bending and walked towards her. "I can teach you some moves and you can figure something out. It'll be fun."

"Okay..." she seemed a little nervous, so he started with a simple kick. Waterbending didn't involve much kicking- maybe it would give her some new ideas.

After she fell on her face, he decided a punch would work just as well. "Like this."

She mimicked him. "No, your stance is too soft. Here." He stepped in alongside her and raised her arm slightly, bent her knee a touch.

Suddenly both jumped at the sound of their names, falling into a heap on top of each other. "Dear Agni!" Zuko murmured a desperate plea for the spirits to be merciful.

Aang and Mai had arrived.

**wow, 2000+ words! my longest chapter of anything ever! and it looks like zuko and katara are in trouble...**

**Zuko: By the way, z4e's terrible with the whole disclaimer business, so I'm just letting you know that we still belong to Mike and Bryan.**

**Me: Oh, good, as long as you're here Zuzu, I just wanted to let you know that you're going to have to stop being a naughty little teenager or we're gonna have to change the rating. I saw the way you were looking at Katara before.**

**Zuko: I TOLD you not to call me that! And wait a sec... If you changed the rating, would it allow me to express my feelings for her in a more unrestricted way?**

**Me: I'm not even going to answer that question.**

**Zuko: I'm SORRY! It's not my fault she's so-**

**Me: AAAAAAND that's all for now folks! K+ people please leave the area now if you know what's good for you!**

**Zuko: Don't forget to R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

Mai felt lost, confused, hurt and very much alone. "Whatever," she said, and walked away.

"Well, Zuko, this is going to be more fun than a barrel of flying monkeys," Katara snapped as she disentangled herself from the Firebender. "Why don't you explain to Aang here just what we were doing?"

"Yes. I will do that." Katara did a mental face palm. Zuko was so robotic when he lied, it was obvious. Unfortunately, he was also robotic when he got nervous. "We were just... sparring?"

Aang looked like he'd been hit in the stomach. "Right... sparring..." he spoke, devastation plain in his voice. "...Okay..."

"It's true, Aang! We were practicing for the AP test tomorrow, and then Zuko was telling me about his uncle's special Waterbending move, and then I wanted to learn Firebending, and..." Katara halted, realizing that what she'd just said made no sense at all.

"I told Katara about the lightning redirection technique my uncle created by studying the Waterbenders, and she wanted to try and create a Waterbending move by studying Firebenders. So I tried to teach her a basic punch. Her stance was too soft, so I adjusted it for her, and then you two startled us and we fell over." Zuko explained calmly, doing much better now that he wasn't on the spot.

"...Right..." If Aang still looked like he'd been punched, at least he looked like he was getting his wind back.

Katara steeled herself, then walked over to Aang and whispered, "I'll make it up to you... Just you and me, tomorrow night? I think the Avatar can teach me just as well as Zuko can..." It made her feel sick to do it, and even sicker to think about what the next night would hold for her, but Aang was happy. She should be happy too.

Aang walked away, no longer looking suspicious or punched, and completely unaware that Katara had just used the same technique he'd tried on On Ji.

Zuko and Katara walked away, looking happy together, and completely unaware that Mai was about to seek revenge.

Mai, on the other side of the campus, was also unaware of this last.

--

"Mai! What's wrong? Your aura is, like, _black_!" Ty Lee backflipped off the bed, looking concerned as her roommate came into the dormitory.

"I _told_ you I don't believe in auras." She sighed, managing to sound both void of emotion and irritated at once- a technique she'd perfected over the years.

"And why are you back so early? Usually you and Zuko-"

"I don't want to talk about what 'me and Zuko' usually do," Mai said, voice sharp and empty.

"Oh no! Mai, this is awful! What happened?!" Ty Lee was, as always, overreacting.

She sighed again and flopped onto the other bed. "I found him breathing down the water witch's neck, that's what."

Ty Lee looked ready to hyperventilate. Mai hoped she would- at least then she'd get some peace and quiet. "Mai! This is totally a disaster! You need to do something!"

"Like what?" Mai asked, sarcasm dripping. "See the guidance counselor?"

"Exactly!" Ty Lee clapped excitedly. _Well, she's never been the sharpest knife in the sleeve..._

"No." The tone was unforgiving, blank, and impossible to argue with. Just like the speaker.

Ty Lee was bad with tones. "Oh, Mai, you have to! It would make the teachers watch out too, so they could help! And it would totally humiliate Zuko, so he would have to be on his best behavior because he'd hate to go through it a second time!"

This was the closest Ty Lee came to strategy, and Mai had to appreciate all the trouble the acrobat was going to. Besides, she did have a point... sort of. She knew Zuko would be humiliated, and if anyone ever wanted to push his buttons it was with honor issues like this. And right now, she _definitely_ wanted to push his buttons.

So it was settled. In the morning, classes would begin. And in the afternoon, Mai would pay a visit to the school guidance counselor.

--

"Busted..." Sokka whispered as Zuko came into the room again, looking miserable.

"What are you talking about?" he growled at the Water Tribe warrior.

"I saw what happened outside. Aang _and_ Mai. I mean, what are the chances? _Very_ ironic, if you ask me. And then-"

"Well, Sokka, NOBODY ASKED YOU!" Zuko roared back.

A moment of silence. "Sorry bout that," the Firebender began.

"No problem. I get that a lot."

"I can see why. No offense."

Sokka shrugged. "Eh, none taken. Provoking Jerkbenders..." he paused, thinking of Hahn, Jet, and now Zuko. "It's a Sokka thing."

"Yeah... So... I guess screaming at the top of your lungs..."

"Is a Zuko thing."

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

--

"How'd your date with Sparky go?" Toph asked as soon as Katara flopped onto her bed.

"Horrible. And it was _not_ a date."

"Uh huh. Whatever you say, Sugar Queen. But it really is too bad Twinkletoes crashed the party."

"Yeah... too bad..." Katara murmured, then caught herself. "No, definitely not. It was great that Aang came. He was getting too close anyway."

"Riiiight...."

Katara turned to face the wall, completely shutting out her roommate in the other bed, "Good _night_, Toph."

The gesture was lost on the blind Earthbender, though Katara suspected she'd chosen to ignore it. "Night, Sugar Queen," she said sweetly.

Katara sighed. This was going to be a long school year.

--

From the pavilions of each team, a gong sounded. "Good morning, kids!" DJ shouted with a smile. He was on the roof of the main building, and a huge horn seemed to be magnifying the sound of his voice. "Just wanted to share our super schedule with you today!" He paused to take his mouth out of the instrument in time to grin with perfectly timed perk. "So this morning you'll have an hour to get ready, then breakfast. And _then_ the kids who are testing will do that in their respective classrooms. That won't be team restricted, but the class you wind up in _will_ be." He gave a cheery thumbs up to the teens who had gotten up to watch the spectacle.

"Those kids who aren't testing for an AP class will have the morning off, but after lunch you'll start regular classes. You'll get your schedules, scrolls, brushes and ink then. So start getting ready and we'll see you in an hour!" He flashed one last smile at his audience and came down from the roof, leaving the teens to their own fate.

--

An hour later, Aang, Katara, Zuko and Toph were waiting outside the AP bending classroom. Haru had showed up too, but he wasn't very confident about making the class.

"Well... this should be... fun?" Zuko said uncertainly. The silence had been awkward and almost tense after the Firebender showed up with Katara at his side.

"Does anyone know what they're testing us on?" Toph questioned. Katara stifled a sigh of relief. Now conversation could start up again and the rest of the teens could stop looking at her like that.

"Basic moves and some sparring with other kids, the way I heard it," Haru replied indifferently. He hadn't seemed to notice the tension.

"Easy enough," Zuko said confidently.

"Glad to hear you feel that way, buddy!" DJ slapped him on the back as he entered the hallway, a smile on his face. "Well, you guys in the first group should probably head in now. The masters are waiting to assess you!" With a grin he opened the rice paper door and swept inside, the kids falling into step behind him.

"Let's see... Kuzon, Zuko, you'll be tested by Sifu Jeong Jeong. Sifu Pakku will be assessing Katara and Kinto. Sifu Bumi is to grade Toph and Haru's abilities- be sure you are very respectful to him, because he will also be your history teacher. That's about all for now. Your masters will decide what they want to see first. Let's get started, kiddos!"

Jeong Jeong turned to his new students. "We will start small. Show me one of your basic forms."

Aang stiffened. He'd just realized that he didn't know any Firebending forms at all. He raised a hand timidly. "Does the Dancing Dragons count?"

--

Katara grinned confidently. She'd just annihilated Kinto in one on one sparring. At first she'd been worried that it might seem like a bias if Pakku accepted her into the class, but now she was sure she'd earned it. "A fair attempt, Pupil Kinto. A few more years and you may be ready to fight a sea sponge."

She felt a little bad about that- she remembered the look that Kinto now wore on the face of Sangkok, another bender she'd beaten- badly- on the road to becoming a Waterbending master. But Kinto had been too cocky to start: he'd needed a loss or two to make him more humble.

"Congratulations, Katara. You've made the class." Pakku smiled at her, then nodded to dismiss both students.

She bowed to her teacher and then headed outside to see how the others had fared.

--

"So, Toph, did you make it?"

"I'm the greatest Earthbender in the _world_, Sugar Queen! How could I not?"

Katara smiled. Maybe Toph needed a little something to deflate her ego too. "What about you, Haru?"

"I survived," he grinned, then hurried to add, "But just barely."

"I made it too, in case anybody cares," Zuko joined in. Katara felt a blush rising in her cheeks- she'd wanted to see if he had, but didn't dare ask, worried about the attention it might draw.

"Good to hear, Sparky," Toph punched him in the arm and he grinned ruefully at the dull ache.

"What about you, Aang?" Katara turned to her old pupil. He'd been oddly quiet despite the gang's good mood.

"Oh... I... uh..." Aang blamed Zuko for this. He hadn't taught him a single form! The only one he knew, he'd had to learn on his own. Well, with a little help from some dragons. But still. It wasn't his fault at all. To be the Avatar and not make an advanced bending class... The irony! The humiliation!

He forced a smile. "Why do you even ask?" A quick glare kept Zuko from contradicting the half-lie.

_It's not even half a lie, _he told himself sternly. _It's the truth. She doesn't really have to ask..._

"That's great, Aang! I knew you could do it!" Despite her congratulations, Katara couldn't help feeling like something was up. Toph was cocky, but Aang? _Maybe his Earthbending teacher's rubbed off on him a little. _She pushed the worries was nothing wrong with his showing some pride once in a while. He almost never did- this was good, right?

"How about a celebration?" Haru suggested. "It'd be fun, and we have a little while before lunch..."

"Sorry," Zuko and Katara said at the same time. Zuko stepped back and let her go first. "See, I'm also doing AP writing. I have to take that test now."

"And I'm doing AP weaponry. Sifu Piandao's assessment is in a few minutes."

"Fine. You two overachievers have fun together. _We're_ going to rock the house." Everyone else cringed at Toph's Earthbending reference and rightly assumed that they were going to be put in a world of hurt.

Zuko waited until they were around the corner before he took her hand in his.

**and there's the chapter! i wanted to include all of the AP testing in one, but this one's already pretty long and that'll give me a headstart on the next one. sorry it's been so long since i updated, but things have been busy and i've been doing my best to post everything whenever i can. the next chapter of politics should be up soon too.**

**Zuko: z4e still doesn't own me! Or Katara! Or Aang, or Sokka, or Toph, or Su-**

**Me: Okay, we get the point. You're depressing me.**

**Zuko: That reminds me, I reserve the right to quit if we don't get enough reviews**

**Me: Wait, what? Why?**

**Zuko: Well, you're going to stick me in the same room as MAI and a GUIDANCE COUNSELOR. And we've only got... what, 8?**

**Me: Zuko, that's a lot. The story's only had three chapters...**

**Zuko: In which I have been banished to high school, caught by Mai, unable to touch Katara except in the rare instances when you write that I can... **

**Me: Okay, I'm going to deal with this backstage. If you guys could R&R while we're gone, that'd be great...**


	5. Chapter 5

**i'm sooooo sorry it took me this long to update! school got in the way. but homework's not so bad now and i promise it won't happen again. ^^**

Zuko's touch was like an electric shock running down her whole body. She looked up at him, startled, and he smiled back, a little sheepishly. He looked as though he was about to speak, when-

"Lee! It's really you!"

Jin.

"Lee?" Katara smirked as their hands flew apart.

"Oh... uh... I think you... have me... confused, with, with someone else," Zuko stammered, his face red.

Jin moved one hand to cover the side of her face in a portrayal of his scar and smiled. "How could I forget? Don't you remember me?"

"Oh..." the Firebender replied, as if it was just now coming back to him. "Jin..."

"Nice to see you too," she laughed, then eyed his sash. "So _that's_ how you lit the candles..."

"Um... yeah..." Zuko said dumbly. Katara was struggling not to giggle. "I... have to go now. Sorry."

"Okay, Lee," Jin replied easily. "See you around..." She smiled coyly, then continued on her way.

"What was that about?" Katara questioned, and then finally allowed herself to laugh out loud at the absurd expression on his face.

"Ugh... I blame Uncle for this..." Zuko groaned, and continued fuming all the way to their assigned classrooms. "Dumb tea shop... _stupid_ Ba Sing Se..." They parted ways at Sifu Piandao's classroom.

The hand-holding was forgotten.

--

"Excellent work, Zuko. You make a fine swordsman."

Piandao looked on approvingly as the Firebender demonstrated his abilities with the dual swords. His movements were fluid and he never put too much energy into any one strike. He took in his surroundings in an instant, but could allow the things around him to distract him. That would be the area he'd have to work on in class.

"I'd just like to see how you handle some sparring, but if you can handle that then you're in my class for sure," the master said, and Zuko bowed respectfully before turning to his next opponent.

--

"Today, as an assessment of your writing abilities, I am going to provide each of you with a cliche concept. You will then have forty-five minutes to create an original story from it- one that will capture the reader's attention despite its overused premise. If everyone is ready, I will pass out the topics now."

The teacher, a severe-looking woman from the Fire Nation, made her way down the rows of students, handing each a small slip of paper. Katara swallowed, hard. She had been pretty excited about taking this class, but now that she'd arrived, the Waterbender was beginning to have second thoughts.

The instructor reached her desk and handed her a white sheet, then returned to her bureau at the front of the room. "Everyone has their concepts. Extra paper, brushes and ink are at the back of the room. You may flip over the paper and begin."

Katara picked up the vellum with shaking hands.

_Opposites attract._

She smiled, coated her brush with ink, and wrote a love story to make Pu-on Tim proud.

--

Both Zuko and Sokka were gasping for breath at the end of their duel.

"Congratulations Sokka, Zuko," Piandao approached them, nodding to each in turn. "You've both made it."

Zuko allowed himself a sigh of relief. "You're pretty good with that sword of yours, Sokka."

The Water Tribe warrior just looked down at the blade sadly. "It could never replace Space Sword..."

"Sorry," Zuko said quickly. The look on Sokka's face told him to change the subject. "So... you go for any other AP classes?"

"I tried for one when you guys were testing for bending."

"Oh yeah?" Zuko asked, trying to sound interested. "What was it?"

"Oh, you know..." Sokka replied, gesturing with one hand vaguely. "Just... a class."

--

_Madame Macmu-Ling looked on sternly as the girls ooh'd, aah'd and giggled at his foolish, _meaningless_ words. After that day in Ba Sing Se... Well, she had been certain that was the last time she'd see the boy. _

_How wrong she was._

_Sokka signaled for silence as he dove into his final haiku, the coup de maitre. _

_"That's right, I'm Sokka," he began. "It's pronounced with an 'okka'." _

_A dramatic pause. _

_"Ladies, I rock ya!"_

_How she wished she hadn't made the rule so lenient! But she had said that he had only to impress her eight star pupils and he would be accepted into her class._

_Her eight star pupils swooned in the oaf's wake. _

_"Congratulations.... Sokka..." she stood, speaking with barely disguised disdain. "You have been chosen for advanced placement poetry."_

_Sokka bowed quickly, winked at the eight girls now cheering traitorously, and ran from the room._

_"Ah," he sighed contentedly as he headed towards the AP weaponry test. "Poetry."_

--

As he left Sifu Piandao's room behind him, Zuko couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. He did his best to ignore it. It was lunchtime now, and he was going to relax with his friends. Plus, Katara was going to be there...

He reached the Roku table and sat to one side of the Waterbender. Aang was on the other. He felt the Avatar's glare at his back the whole time.

Everyone laughed and talked for a while, and at first Zuko didn't notice the silence that had descended on his table.

He made the mistake of looking up.

"Oh, Zuko, I'm _so_ glad I found you," Mai drawled, grinning evilly.

"Umm... why?" he questioned nervously.

She led him away without a word.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a plain, uninteresting room at the heart of the stark white central building. "Zuko and Mai?" A silver-haired man at the entrance asked. At a nod from the knifethrower, he bowed low and gestured inside.

"Excellent. The guidance counselor will see you now."

**dun dun DUNNNNN... poor zuko. he's about to enter a world of hurt...and i'm sorry about the 5-7-5 society, but it was begging to be included...  
i'll update soon, i promise! but in the mean time, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEEASE R&R. **

**thanks!  
~z4e**


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